2002–03 ECHL season

2002–03 ECHL season
League ECHL
Sport Ice hockey
Regular season
Season MVP Canada Bud Smith (Arkansas)
Top scorer Canada Bud Smith (Arkansas)
Playoffs
Northern champions Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies
  Northern runners-up Cincinnati Cyclones
Southern champions Columbia Inferno
  Southern runners-up Mississippi Sea Wolves
Playoffs MVP United States Kevin Colley (Atlantic City)
Finals
Champions Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies
  Runners-up Columbia Inferno

The 2002–03 ECHL season was the 15th season of the ECHL. The ECHL All-Star Game was held at Germain Arena in Estero, Florida and was hosted by the Florida Everblades. The Northern Conference All-Stars dominated the game, beating the Southern Conference All-Stars 8:2. Atlantic City's Scott Stirling was named Most Valuable Player. At the end of the season five teams, the Richmond Renegades, Arkansas RiverBlades, Jackson Bandits, Baton Rouge Kingfish, and Lexington Men O' War all ceased to operate.

Regular season

Final standings

Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L= Loses; T = Ties; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points; Green shade = Clinched playoff spot; Blue shade = Clinched division; (z) = Clinched home-ice advantage

Northern Conference

Northeast Division GP W L T PTS GF GA
Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies 72 41 19 12 94 268 224
Greensboro Generals 72 42 21 9 93 235 211
Roanoke Express 72 42 24 6 90 265 239
Trenton Titans 72 38 24 10 86 229 207
Charlotte Checkers 72 41 28 3 85 262 234
Richmond Renegades 72 35 31 6 76 240 239
Reading Royals 72 32 35 5 69 261 303
Northwest Division GP W L T PTS GF GA
Toledo Storm (z) 72 47 15 10 104 247 196
Peoria Rivermen 72 48 17 7 103 241 181
Cincinnati Cyclones 72 36 29 7 79 257 236
Lexington Men O' War 72 34 31 7 75 188 212
Johnstown Chiefs 72 28 33 11 67 214 243
Wheeling Nailers 72 28 41 3 59 193 261
Dayton Bombers 72 24 38 10 58 191 247

Southern Conference

Southeast Division GP W L T PTS GF GA
Columbia Inferno (z) 72 47 23 2 96 265 202
South Carolina Stingrays 72 42 22 8 92 248 225
Pee Dee Pride 72 40 26 6 86 244 213
Florida Everblades 72 35 23 14 84 239 243
Greenville Grrrowl 72 28 36 8 64 217 262
Augusta Lynx 72 27 39 6 60 203 256
Columbus Cottonmouths 72 25 39 8 58 197 270
Southwest Division GP W L T PTS GF GA
Mississippi Sea Wolves 72 44 24 4 92 250 211
Louisiana IceGators 72 40 20 12 92 249 210
Arkansas RiverBlades 72 37 24 11 85 238 236
Jackson Bandits 72 38 26 8 84 210 195
Pensacola Ice Pilots 72 33 30 9 75 228 241
Baton Rouge Kingfish 72 20 43 9 49 184 266

Kelly Cup playoffs

Northern Conference

Divisional Semifinals
April 2–8 		Division Finals
April 11–18 		Conference Finals
April 23-May 3
         
NE.1 Atlantic City 3
NE.4 Trenton 0
NE.1 Atlantic City 3
NE.2 Greensboro 1
NE.2 Greensboro 3
NE.3 Roanoke 1
NE.1 Atlantic City 4
NW.3 Cincinnati 3
NW.2 Peoria 1
NW.3 Cincinnati 3
NW.1 Toledo 1
NW.3 Cincinnati 3
NW.1 Toledo 3
NW.4 Lexington 0

Division semifinals

Northeast Division Semifinals
Atlantic City vs. Trenton
Date Away Home
April 2 Trenton 3 Atlantic City 4
April 4 Trenton 0 Atlantic City 4
April 7 Atlantic City 7 Trenton 3
Atlantic City wins series 3–0
Northeast Division Semifinals
Greensboro vs. Roanoke
Date Away Home
April 3 Roanoke 2 Greensboro 7
April 4 Roanoke 3 Greensboro 1
April 5 Greensboro 3 Roanoke 2
April 8 Greensboro 5 Roanoke 3
Greensboro wins series 3–1
Northwest Division Semifinals
Toledo vs. Lexington
Date Away Home
April 2 Lexington 1 Toledo 9
April 4 Lexington 0 Toledo 3
April 5 Lexington 1 Toledo 5
Toledo wins series 3–0
Northwest Division Semifinals
Peoria vs. Cincinnati
Date Away Home
April 1 Cincinnati 4 Peoria 3
April 2 Cincinnati 1 Peoria 2 OT
April 5 Peoria 0 Cincinnati 1 OT
April 6 Peoria 3 Cincinnati 4 2OT
Cincinnati wins series 3–1

Division finals

Northeast Division Finals
Atlantic City vs. Greensboro
Date Away Home
April 11 Greensboro 2 Atlantic City 3 OT
April 12 Greensboro 3 Atlantic City 2 OT
April 16 Atlantic City 6 Greensboro 3
April 18 Atlantic City 3 Greensboro 2
Atlantic City wins series 3–1
Northwest Division Finals
Toledo vs. Cincinnati
Date Away Home
April 11 Cincinnati 2 Toledo 1
April 12 Cincinnati 4 Toledo 2
April 15 Toledo 1 Cincinnati 0
April 16 Toledo 1 Cincinnati 4
Cincinnati wins series 3–1

Conference finals

Northern Conference Finals
Atlantic City vs. Cincinnati
Date Away Home
April 23 Cincinnati 4 Atlantic City 5
April 25 Cincinnati 0 Atlantic City 5
April 26 Atlantic City 3 Cincinnati 1
April 28 Atlantic City 1 Cincinnati 3
April 29 Atlantic City 3 Cincinnati 6
May 2 Cincinnati 4 Atlantic City 3
May 3 Cincinnati 2 Atlantic City 3
Atlantic City wins series 4–3
and Gingher Memorial Trophy

Southern Conference

  Divisional Wildcards
April 1		 Divisional Semifinals
April 2–7		 Divisional Finals
April 9–16		 Conference Finals
April 23-May 2
                                     
    SE.1  Columbia 3  
SE.4  Florida 0     SE.5  Greenville 0    
  SE.1  Columbia 3  
SE.5  Greenville 1    
  SE.3  Pee Dee 0    
SE.2  South Carolina 1
   
  SE.3  Pee Dee 3  
    SE.1  Columbia 4
  SW.1  Mississippi 2
  SW.2  Louisiana 3    
SW.3  Arkansas 0    
  SW.2  Louisiana 0
SW.4  Jackson 0  
  SW.1  Mississippi 3  
SW.5  Pensacola 1     SW.1  Mississippi 3
 
    SW.5  Pensacola 0  
  • SE is short for Southeast Division
  • SW is short for Southwest Division

1st round

Southeast Division Wildcard
Florida vs. Greenville
Date Away Home
April 1 Greenville 3 Florida 2
Greenville wins series 1–0
Southwest Division Wildcard
Jackson vs. Pensacola
Date Away Home
April 1 Pensacola 3 Jackson 2 OT
Pensacola wins series 1–0

Division Semifinals

Southeast Division Semifinals
Columbia vs. Greenville
Date Away Home
April 2 Greenville 2 Columbia 6
April 4 Greenville 4 Columbia 6
April 7 Columbia 6 Greenville 4
Columbia wins series 3–0
Southeast Division Semifinals
South Carolina vs. Pee Dee
Date Away Home
April 2 Pee Dee 3 South Carolina 0
April 4 Pee Dee 1 South Carolina 7
April 5 South Carolina 3 Pee Dee 4
April 7 South Carolina 3 Pee Dee 4 OT
Pee Dee wins series 3–1
Southwest Division Semifinals
Mississippi vs. Pensacola
Date Away Home
April 2 Pensacola 1 Mississippi 5
April 4 Pensacola 1 Mississippi 5
April 5 Mississippi 5 Pensacola 1
Mississippi wins series 3–0
Southwest Division Semifinals
Louisiana vs. Arkansas
Date Away Home
April 2 Arkansas 0 Louisiana 2
April 3 Arkansas 1 Louisiana 2
April 5 Louisiana 3 Arkansas 1
Louisiana wins series 3–0

Division finals

Southeast Division Finals
Columbia vs. Pee Dee
Date Away Home
April 11 Pee Dee 2 Columbia 5
April 12 Pee Dee 1 Columbia 2
April 16 Columbia 5 Pee Dee 1
Columbia wins series 3–0
Southwest Division Finals
Mississippi vs. Louisiana
Date Away Home
April 9 Louisiana 2 Mississippi 5
April 12 Mississippi 4 Louisiana 0
April 14 Louisiana 2 Mississippi 3
Mississippi wins series 3–0

Conference finals

Southern Conference Finals
Columbia vs. Mississippi
Date Away Home
April 23 Mississippi 2 Columbia 5
April 25 Mississippi 2 Columbia 3 OT
April 27 Columbia 4 Mississippi 3
April 28 Columbia 1 Mississippi 3
April 30 Columbia 1 Mississippi 2 OT
May 2 Mississippi 2 Columbia 4
Columbia wins series 4–2
and Bruce Taylor Trophy

Last four

Conference Finals
April 23-May 3 		Kelly Cup Finals
May 7–14
      
NE.1 Atlantic City 4
NW.3 Cincinnati 3
NE.1 Atlantic City 4
SE.1 Columbia 1
SE.1 Columbia 4
SW.1 Mississippi 3

Kelly Cup finals

Columbia vs. Atlantic City
Date Away Home
May 7 Atlantic City 1 Columbia 0
May 9 Atlantic City 3 Columbia 0
May 10 Columbia 5 Atlantic City 3
May 12 Columbia 1 Atlantic City 3
May 14 Columbia 1 Atlantic City 3
Atlantic City wins series 4–1
and Kelly Cup

ECHL awards

See also: ECHL awards
Patrick Kelly Cup: Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies
Henry Brabham Cup: Toledo Storm
Gingher Memorial Trophy: Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies
Bruce Taylor Trophy: Columbia Inferno
John Brophy Award: Claude Noel (Toledo)
CCM TACKS Most Valuable Player: Bud Smith (Arkansas)
Kelly Cup Playoffs Most Valuable Player: Kevin Colley (Atlantic City)
Reebok Hockey Goaltender of the Year: Alfie Michaud (Peoria)
CCM Tacks Rookie of the Year: Jason Jaffray (Roanoke)
Defenseman of the Year: Jim Baxter (Mississippi)
Leading Scorer: Bud Smith (Arkansas)
Reebok Hockey Plus Performer Award: Dennis Vial (Columbia)
Mike Glumac (Pee Dee)
Sportsmanship Award: Rejean Stringer (Columbia)

See also